Fantasy Football Today (Sep 18, 2025)

Episode: Start or Sit (AFC) – Brian Thomas Jr., Chargers WRs, RBs Ready to Break Out
Hosts: Adam Aizer, Jamie Eisenberg, Heath Cummings

Overview

This episode is a comprehensive Start/Sit guide for AFC matchups in Fantasy Football Week 3. Hosts Adam, Jamie, and Heath break down every AFC home game, dissect major injury news, analyze key positional battles, and offer actionable fantasy advice for lineup decisions. They highlight emerging breakouts (like Jordan Mason), flag risky plays, debate player outlooks, and answer live audience questions to ensure listeners set their best lineups for the week ahead.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Players to Start & Sit: Immediate Headlines

• Jordan Mason is the universal Start of the Week

  • "I love low hanging fruit when it comes to just easy calls. And Jordan Mason should be an easy call. So he's the start of the week this week." – Jamie (02:17)
  • All analysts rank Mason in their top 10 RBs (Jamie 10th, Heath even higher)

• DeAndre Swift Bounce-Back Alert

  • Heath remains bullish: "This week it's going to be a lot better... Expect the Bears to score four touchdowns and at least one of them will go to DeAndre Swift." (03:10)
  • Jamie acknowledges risk of injury limiting touches, but consensus is Swift remains a strong starter.

• Players to Avoid ("Sits")

  • Jared Goff & Jameson Williams (Lions at Ravens): Outdoor game, tough defense. Both lower-end flex plays at best.
  • T.J. Hockenson (Vikings): Concerns about the offense under Carson Wentz. "I don't think they're gonna throw the ball at all here." – Heath (05:39)
  • Browns RBs: Elite Packers run D makes them highly risky.
  • Most Patriots pass-catchers: Offense remains too volatile.

Week 3 Injury & Lineup News (Timestamp references throughout 07:00–16:00)

• Jalen Waddle (Miami): Questionable. Consider as WR3 only if desperate (Jamie 07:45).
• Zach Charbonnet (Seattle): DNP, check practice status by Thursday.
• Xavier Worthy (Chiefs): Practiced, but still listed as limited. Proceed with caution.
• Chargers WRs: Lad McConkey limited, impact on passing game noted.
• Multiple O-lines (Bucs, Titans) banged up: Impacting RB/WR startability.

Game-by-Game Analysis & Key Fantasy Questions

[17:44] Green Bay at Cleveland

• Start: Josh Jacobs, Jordan Love (low-end QB1)
• Sit: Browns RBs; Packers WRs are floor plays only ("I hope I don't have to start a Browns running back." – Heath)
• Tight End Streamer: Tucker Kraft – “Must-start tight end, right?” – Adam (26:38)
• Browns WRs: Judy at WR33 (Heath), outside top 36 (Jamie).

[18:20] Detroit at Baltimore

• Outdoor downgrade for Goff/Jamo
• Start Amon-Ra, LaPorta. Goff a serviceable floor QB only if desperate.
• “I would rather start Daniel Jones, Jake Browning, Mac Jones over Goff this week.” – Jamie (34:37)
• RBs: Gibbs is a start, Montgomery a flex.

[19:46] Houston at Jacksonville

• Start: Brian Thomas Jr. (lowered expectations; consensus top-24 WR)
• ETN a Must-Start, but keep stashing Basil Tootin (potential riser, not yet a starter)
• Sit: Trevor Lawrence, Stroud, Brenton Strange.

[20:39] Indianapolis at Tennessee

• Big “prove-it” week for Tony Pollard, but Mason is preferred.
  • “One has had two weeks of being the featured guy...has not taken advantage... this scenario is better for Mason.” – Jamie (20:52)
• Daniel Jones (Colts): Jamie loves him (QB10), Heath skeptical due to history and matchup.
• Michael Pittman: WR3/flex.

[21:42] Jets at Bucs

• Bucs run D still “elite;” Breece Hall is a fringe RB1/2 (Heath higher, Jamie has him RB24; see detailed debate 61:16–62:12).
• Evans a WR2/3 due to Sauce shadow coverage (Jamie lower, WR24; Heath more bullish).
• Garrett Wilson, aBuka: Both solid WR2s.
• “Brian Thomas Jr. or Mike Evans? … Evans has a tough matchup. You can bench him for the right options.” – Jamie (59:06)

[22:08] Chiefs at Giants

• Keenan Allen, Wandale Robinson, Quentin Johnston all flexes
• For KC WRs: Worthy (if healthy) is an upside WR3, start over Ridley, Jamo.
• Pacheco: Mid-range flex, could score vs. bad Giants D (jammed up RB30–32 in consensus).

[23:45] Denver at Chargers

• Herbert is a locked-in start (Jamie QB7, Heath QB3)
• Sutton is back in lineups; Dobbins a flex RB.
• Quentin Johnston vs. Troy Franklin: Johnston preferred as the safer WR3 option.

[23:45, 79:06] Pittsburgh at New England

• Jalen Warren: RB2.
• DK Metcalf is a low-end WR2; sit Patriots WRs.
• Drake May (NE QB): Top-10 streamer vs. beat-up Steelers D.
• "This could easily be a 250, 280 and two for [Aaron Rodgers]." – Jamie (80:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jordan Mason’s Opportunity:
  “This should be the opportunity you were waiting for while you drafted him…big opportunity in front of Jordan Mason and he should take advantage of it in this matchup.” – Jamie (02:17)

• On Daniel Jones vs. Titans:
  “You got to take a little bit of a note of [Daniel Jones]…with the way that he’s playing in this offense, maybe it was just getting the opportunity to be coached at a higher level and he’s responding.” – Jamie (48:48)

• Heath’s skepticism on sudden breakouts:
  “…I’m a little slower at the beginning of the year with guys who have been terrible for seven years to react to their first two games…” – Heath (47:00)

• Bucs WRs and the Sauce Effect:
  "I would start Jacoby [Myers]. I'd start Zay Flowers over [Evans]. I'd start Deebo Samuel over him." – Jamie (58:45)
  "I'm not sure who you'd start over Mike Evans... Jacoby Myers? He's been better." – Heath (58:30)

• Advice on Basil Tootin:
  "I want him on my bench... It's not advice we start the guy yet, but try to get him thrown into a trade." – Heath (44:59)

• Rapid Fire Start/Sit Decisions:

  • "Dobbins or Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston?" – Adam
    "Allen, Dobbins, Johnston." – Jamie (76:18)
  • "DK Metcalf, bounce back?" – Adam
    "Low end number two." – Heath (82:02)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Detail | |---------|--------| | 02:17 | Jordan Mason: Start of the Week discussion | | 03:10 | DeAndre Swift bounce-back reasoning | | 07:45 | Jalen Waddle injury start/sit | | 17:44 | Green Bay at Cleveland DST/tight end streaming | | 19:46 | Houston at Jacksonville: Brian Thomas Jr., ETN, Tootin | | 20:39 | Colts/Titans RB rankings, Daniel Jones analysis | | 21:42 | Jets/Bucs WR debates: Evans, aBuka, Wilson | | 61:16 | In-depth: Breece Hall vs. Bucs D and shifting Jets offense | | 68:16 | Mahomes "air yards are up," Chiefs WR usage | | 75:06 | Denver at Chargers RB/WR flex discussion | | 79:06 | Pitt at NE: Drake May top-11 QB streamer | | 82:02 | DK Metcalf status check/end game round-ups |

Audience Start/Sit Q&A Highlights

• Craft vs. Coleman (Flex): Craft (32:43)
• Pacheco vs. Sampson vs. Charbonnet: Pacheco unless Charbonnet clears injury (32:53)
• Evans vs. Row of WRs: Start Evans over Keon Coleman (65:28)
• May vs. Goff at QB: May (83:03)

Podcast Tone & Style

Light banter, rapid-fire analysis, data-supported arguments, and the classic blend of strong opinions from each analyst. The tone is friendly, fast-moving, sometimes playful (regular ribbing about player takes, especially Daniel Jones), but always focused on arming fantasy managers with clarity and confidence.

Summarized Start/Sit Recommendations

Must Starts:

• Jordan Mason, DeAndre Swift, Josh Jacobs (not for DFS), Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Travis Etienne, Keenan Allen, Justin Herbert, Jalen Warren.

Solid Starts:

• Brian Thomas Jr., Zay Flowers, Drake May (QB streamer), Garrett Wilson.

Risky Starts/Flex Plays:

• Tony Pollard (upside, but lower than Mason/Swift), David Montgomery, Browns WRs (Judy, Tillman), Ridley, Pittman, Keenan Allen, Chargers WRs (borderline WR2/3), DK Metcalf.

Sits/Bench If Possible:

• Browns, Patriots, and Packers RBs (outside of Jacobs), Jameson Williams (only WR4/5), Patriots WRs, Quentin Johnston unless desperate, all Browns RBs.

Defensive Streamers:

• Strong: Packers DST, Seattle, Atlanta.
• Avoid: Ravens and non-elite options facing high-powered or efficient offenses.

Final takeaway

If you only listen to one fantasy football show before Week 3 kickoffs, this episode of FFT covers every burning question and context you need, with clear, at-times passionate debate, actionable flex plays, and sleeper names to boost your win chances.